Costa Rican current lawmaker and presidential candidate Fabricio Alvarado-Muñoz, 51, is under investigation for the alleged sexual abuse of a woman who says she was 13 years old when the incidents occurred nearly two decades ago.


The case is being handled by the Office of the Attorney General and will be investigated directly by Attorney General Carlo Díaz, as the allegations involve a sitting member of one of the Republic’s top branches of government.


The alleged victim, identified by the surname Castillo, now 32, filed the complaint with the Public Prosecutor’s Office on February 18, 2025. She later went public on social media, claiming the abuse happened at least ten times in 2006, when she was 13.


According to Castillo’s account, the incidents occurred at her home and inside a vehicle when she and Alvarado were alone. She said Alvarado had developed a close relationship with her family through their shared church, and that her parents trusted him enough to leave her in his care. Castillo alleges he exploited that trust to commit the abuse.


Alvarado, a two-time congressman and current presidential candidate for the New Republic Party (PNR), denied the accusations, calling them part of a politically motivated smear campaign.


“Every time we appear at the top of the polls, the same people, as always, come out with a smear campaign,” Alvarado said. “I began my political career in 2013, and since then, my family and I have been attacked in every possible way. The only thing left is for them to say I killed someone.”

He added that the timing of the complaint is suspicious, given his growing popularity ahead of the 2026 presidential election. “Thank God, most people don’t believe these absurd claims or fall for this kind of dirty campaign,”

Alvarado lives in San José, is married, and has two daughters. He noted that he already informed his family to prevent confusion and protect them. "My focus remains the same: to serve and work with integrity.”

He said a “top-tier legal team” is preparing his defense. “Highly qualified lawyers I fully trust are developing the best strategy to prove my innocence to the authorities and the country,” Alvarado added.

Alvarado previously served in the Legislative Assembly from 2014 to 2017 with the National Restoration Party (PRN) and again from 2022 to 2026 with the New Republic Party, which is widely described as ultra-conservative and rooted in Christian fundamentalist ideology.

Under Article 161 of Costa Rica’s Penal Code, sexual abuse carries a sentence of up to eight years in prison, or up to ten years if the victim is under 15.

Costa Rica’s 2026 presidential race officially began on October 1, when the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) called voters to the polls. The election is scheduled for February 1, 2026, with 20 candidates cleared to run.

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